Smokey Mountain Trip

Myself, wife and 6 other couples are heading out to eastern Tenn. on June 12 from Tulsa, Ok area. First nights stop will be Memphis and the next 2 nights in Gaitlinburg. We are wondering is there any must do rides and must see attractions. We will be working our way back to Okla. over the next 8 days thur Tenn. Any help in this matter would be appreicated!!!!

The ride to Cades Cove early in the morning is a good ride. It's about 25 miles of winding road that follows a river most of the way. If you go later in the day the traffic inside the park is stop and go. My wife and I made that mistake in October of last year, had to park the bikes till traffic cleared out to keep from over heating. The road inside the park is about 11 miles long. Make sure you fill up with gas before you go, the road up and back has no stores of any kind. Even if you do not enter the park, the ride up and back are great.

The ride to Cades Cove early in the morning is a good ride. It's about 25 miles of winding road that follows a river most of the way. If you go later in the day the traffic inside the park is stop and go. My wife and I made that mistake in October of last year, had to park the bikes till traffic cleared out to keep from over heating. The road inside the park is about 11 miles long. Make sure you fill up with gas before you go, the road up and back has no stores of any kind. Even if you do not enter the park, the ride up and back are great.

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The road between Gatlinburg TN and Cherokee NC is hwy 441 through Great Smoky Mountain National Park is the road the poster above is talking about. It's worth the ride with some beautiful scenery. Fill up when you are in Gatlinburg and do the Cades Cove ride and then ride all the way to Cherokee. You will be close to Deals Gap ( Tail of the Dragon) if you would like to check that out. The best ride in my opinion is the one in the link below. ( Cherohala Highway) Maybe you can ride this on the way back to Tulsa. Many good riding places around there..

Cherohala Skyway is nice. You could also do part of the Blue Ridge Parkway from there. Mad Maps has a nice map that covers north Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky with easy day rides.

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If time permits you can get on the Blueridge Parkway just as you leave Cherokee going in the direction of Maggie Valley.... that's is the most southern part of the Parkway. Ride north toward Asheville you will pass the highest peak on the entire Parkway. Go to the Mt. Pisgah Inn and have lunch...I would also suggest spending the night if you can. The Inn is run by the Park Service and the rooms are nice and the food is delicious. We rode up for lunch last Saturday just for a day ride. If you take the Parkway all the way to Asheville it will be an easy ride to catch the Cherohala just below Asheville. It would be impossible to list all the great places to ride in that part of NC and TN. We ride there often and we keep finding new place.

If you haven't already booked in Gatlinburg,I would suggest you go a few miles up the road and stay in a cabin just outside of Pigeon Forge,I use Sugar Maple cabin rentals.Don't stop at the Harley dealer in Gatlinburg,you have to pay to park and they don't sell Harleys or accesories,only clothes,it is strictly a boutique! I went in there looking for highway pegs because I had lost one and I was surprised to say the least! Also to buy food ,or go to a restaraunt Gatlinburg is expensive,Pigeon Forge much less.Buy any Alchohol you want in Gatlinburg though because Pigeon Forge is a dry community.The next part of what I am going to say may irritate some.I like the road through Smokey Mountain National park better then the Blueridge Pkwy,and skyline drive.The speed limit is a little higher and it is shorter.I have done the "must see" of starting at the top of the Skyline to the bottom of the Blueridge and all I can say is never again! You can only stop at so many outlooks and look at so many valleys before you want to see a City or town again JMO

We've vacationed in Gatlinburg several times with the kids. Stay at a place named Kerr Resorts, right on the main rd, (325 I think) just a couple of blocks out of downtown. Nice, fully furnished cabins at a good price. Plenty of things to do if you want to get out of the saddle for a day.

That is an awesome bit of country...one of my favorites. I spent a week there and have made a few 3-4 day trips as well, on more than one day I just got on the bike and rode, I dont think they have any bad roads. If you have time try to do the Dragon, its a bit over rated and crowded sometimes but ya need to do it once, very challenging and a motorcyclist mecca. Cherohala Skyway is a must and the Smokey Mountain Nat'l Park was amazing at late afternoon/dusk...Pigeon Forge is cool too. Man, I may have to book another trip this season...:s